English, Spanish, and Tewa—a Native American language—are spoken here. But the universal language in Taos is art.

Taos, in north-central New Mexico, has been a thriving artists’ community since the early 20th century. One early artist in town was Nicolai Fechin, who passionately depicted the local landscape and Native Americans. Taos is built on the same property as his former home, which was originally built in 1927 and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

While art is pivotal to the area, don’t neglect Taos’ historical museums, interesting shops, and scrumptious barbecues and Tex-Mex cuisine. The area is also a recreational playground, where you can ski, snowboard, hike, bike, or kayak amid a landscape of expansive vistas, castles of clouds, and radiant red earth.